Five Things Car Dealers Dont Want You To Know

All you want is the best car for your money. All the dealer wants is to get the most money he can. That may mean trying to convince you to buy things that you really don't need. Here are 5 things car dealers don't want you to know when buying a new car or truck:

1 - The sticker price isn't really the price. Unless you're purchasing a vehicle at one of those no-hassle, no-bargaining, sales centers, never pay the sticker price. The dealer expects you to haggle, so go for it!

2 - Zero down, Zero interest, and Zero Payments for one year, will cost you more. In many cases, the first year may be virtually free, but then the buyer gets socked with a higher than average interest rate, and bigger payments. Remember, the dealer isn't making those payments in the first year, you will still be responsible for paying the entire sales price, only you'll be doing it with 12 less installments, which will make the remainder of your payments higher than they would have been if you'd starting paying for your new vehicle right away. In most cases, the buyer actually ends up paying more for the vehicle than he or she would have if they had negotiated a good interest rate, and put a little down on the vehicle to make the payments smaller.

3 - Find Your Own Financing. Car dealers may advertise great finance deals, but watch out. Oftentimes only a few select buyers actually qualify for that great low rate, leaving the rest of us paying two or three times what's advertised. Check your local bank and credit union first to see what kind of a deal they can offer, before heading off to the dealer. If he knows you've already secured your own financing, he may even try and beat it!

4 - You Don't Need Those Extras. You've seen it on the final bill: fabric protection; rust protection; tinted glass. You thought that was all included, and wham! You get socked for hundreds more for extras you never asked for. Cross it off the invoice. If the dealer insists that it's already included on the vehicle, then insist that they give you a vehicle without all the extras." Be prepared to walk away if they argue. Dealers make a fortune adding little extras onto the bill that may look important, but really are unnecessary, and overpriced.. Upholstery can be sprayed later for less than $20. Most cars already come with high-end rust protection, so why buy more? Don't just assume you have to take the extras, you always have the option of saying no.

5 - You Don't Need Those Extended Warranties. Unless you're buying a used car that may have unknown concerns, chances are you'll be wasting your money on those pricey extended warranties. Today's cars come with more than sufficient warranties, some as much as 6 years and 100,000 miles! Why pay for more? Besides, manufacturers often offer another chance to purchase an extended warranty before the original one expires. Wait until then to see if the vehicle you bought is trouble-free enough to take the chance.